Not enforceable through Compulsion

Not enforceable through Compulsion

24 October 2017

With the activation of Article 155 of the Spanish Constitution, the Rajoy government has brought a fair solution to the Catalonia conflict into even further distance. This article has not been applied since the end of the Franco dictatorship and allows extensive coercive measures by the Spanish government against Catalonia, whereby the consent of the Senate still outstanding. The Spanish government thus continues the path of irrationality and strengthens by this way the independence ambitions in Catalonia. Compulsion generates counter-reactions. Madrid could win a lot if it finally accepted the Catalan side as an equal interlocutor. However, if the Spanish government is serious about the idea of depose, possibly even arresting, the democratically elected Catalan President Carles Puigdemont and the European Council's representatives at the same time supporting this path, the whole European Union is in danger of falling into a legitimation crisis. Repression and demonstration of power to resolve a conflict are contradict to the original European idea. If the Spanish Government enforces new elections in Catalonia with the application of Article 155, the European Union must ensure that the principles of universal, free, democratic and secret elections are respected. If an election campaign is a good idea in such a tense situation is questionable, especially to initiate a dialogue on the future of Catalonia. However, after the election we would know how the majority of the Catalan population thinks about it. The European Union would be well advised if it finally designated a political meditator, better than not being able to declare itself at all or only one-sidedly. It should not forget that, unfortunately, NATO has started such secession processes without recognizing the international law and without the approval of the state. They will try to appeal to a supposedly noble motive, but theft remains a theft, regardless of whether the motive is greed or nobler.